I am just about to get my first bird dog, an english pointer- what do I need to know and what is the best dog collar. The dog is a pup that I will be training along with an experienced bird dog man. I am mainly concerned about the best dog collar. Thanks

I use MulHolland Bros. leather safety collars and love them. My dogs are in and out of water a lot and hunt quite a bit and both collars are going on 4 and 6 years, respectively.

Are you talking about E-collars, or regular collars?

Sorry, I wasnt specific. I meant E Collars.

Innotek, is what I am using. I have 3 German Shorthairs. So I am using a CS2000 which will run 3 collars.
Gselkhunter

I have been using an inntek for 4 years and have had good luck with it. Has 7 settings up to 300 yards. Haven't really even used it the past 2 years. Once they understand what they need to do you will be using it less and less. So what I am saying is go with the cheap brand, it should last you two or three dogs lives.

Best to get one with the longer range with an english pointer. Seems that they like to range a lot further. Ive learned that you get what you pay for in these collars. Just my 2 cents

I agree with my Illini friend. I bought a D.T. Systems collar from Cabellas a couple of years ago. The collar was a little cheaper than the others, had real good range, and a supposed lifetime guarantee. The unit developed a problem in the switch in on the controller. Since I live fairly close to DT Systems, I took the unit to their repair facility, showed them the problem and left the whole unit there. Couple of weeks pass and I get a bill in the mail for $100+ for the repair of the switch, the collar itself and a few other things. (things that were not a problem). The whole unit new was only $199. I called them up and was told that the unit was guaranteed on parts, not labor. I told them that they fixed things that were not needed. They came off of it $50. but then one of the people there told me that the price was really to cover the parts also. That did it for me. The unit does work okay now, but I will never recommend business with them. Spend a little more, and get a decent collar. Larry

I only have experience with one brand of collar and I am not saying that another e collar out there is bad. I had a Tritronic 200 lite and had very good luck with it but the batteries went bad. I was considering getting a smaller sized ecollar. i was doing reserch. I decided to call the Collar clinic in MI. At the time they sold and serviced all brands of E collars. I asked them what brand they personally liked. They guy chuckled and said that they all owned tritronics. I spoke with him for a while aboiut why and I later found that tritronics will take trade ins on their old collars. It was a very good deal. So I got another tritronics and have no regrets.
Scott